THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

83And now our Savior laments over that city.Herod had a shallow understanding of what Jesus stood for (Lk 9:3-9; see also Mt 23:37-39). Herod knew Jesus by rumor, until, of course, Jesus stood before him in judgment before Hisdeath.Jesus did not raise an army or use His miraculous powers to drive out his enemies fromJerusalem, and to throw Israel’s rebellious priesthood out of His Father’s house. Instead He letthem throw Him out of both the temple and the city. And astoundingly, what had been HisFather’s and His, He left in their hands:“Your house,” He said, “is left to you” (Lk 13:35).If people use their God-given free-will to reject the Savior, neither God nor Christ willoverrule. That does not mean that puny man has the power to defeat the will of the Almightysince it was always God’s will that man’s will should be genuinely free. It was always God’sintention that man be able to say “No!” to God. But God is also free. That means freedom to say“No!” when they arrive at God’s gate unrepentant.APPLICATIONThe question for us is, "Are we dry and desolate?" If we find ourselves in a spiritualdesert, dry and desolate, it may be because our love has waxed cold and we no longer have theconcern for others that Jesus has.NOTES1William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke: The Daily Study Bible, Revised Edition(Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1975), 186.2Ibid.